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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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Word bank
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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: wound · trunk · foot · plane · mouse · calf · game · rock

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. foot — a measure
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rock — a stone
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. game — a match
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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