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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: bear · rash · plane · trunk · land · calf · face · cap

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cap — a hat
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. land — to come down
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. land — a country
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. rash — hasty
  16. land — ground
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cap — a lid
  19. plane — a tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cap — of ice
  24. trunk — of a car

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