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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 116 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: suit · wind · stick · mark · trunk · squash · wake · calf

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — a trace
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. wind — moving air
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — a trail
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. squash — the sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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