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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 · calf · firm · lean · ground · coach · mark · wake

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ground — the earth
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ground — a position
  17. wake — a trail
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. firm — decided
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lean — thin

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