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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: trunk · calf · kick · cell · cabinet · mark · row · face

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — to paddle
  10. face — to point toward
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. face — to confront
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. face — part of the head
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. row — a line
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — a quarrel

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