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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 · mug · capital · rock · present · calf · club · bat

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — a gift
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. club — a group
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mug — to rob
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mug — a face
  14. bat — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. present — the time now
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. capital — a city
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rock — music
  22. present — there
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. club — for golf

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