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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 120 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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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 · saw · bulb · bay · last · ruler · pound · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pound — a weight
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — finally
  24. pound — for dogs

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