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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · rest · calf · pound · toast · charge · trunk · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. object — an aim
  4. rest — a break
  5. pound — a weight
  6. object — to protest
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. charge — a price
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ground — the earth
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rest — what's left
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. object — a thing
  20. toast — bread
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com