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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: bat · deal · calf · coach · mouse · trunk · wave · scale

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bat — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. trunk — of a car

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