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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · can · fork · stand · pitcher · perch · trunk · calf

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bore — to tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. perch — the fish
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. perch — for a bird

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