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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: tube · calf · trunk · degree · kick · dip · stock · scale

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. dip — to sink
  5. degree — temperature
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. kick — in football
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. stock — goods
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tube — a container
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. tube — the underground
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. degree — an amount

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