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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 · rash · ruler · calf · coach · dip · straw · wind

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rash — hasty
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wind — moving air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rash — a series
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. calf — a young animal

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