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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · staff · cold · club · calf · bore · hide · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. staff — employees
  4. club — a group
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. club — for golf
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — an illness
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mug — a cup
  21. club — for dancing
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bore — gave birth

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