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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: calf · bark · trunk · cabinet · fall · swing · object · scale

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fall — to drop
  3. swing — in golf
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. swing — to play on
  8. scale — in music
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. object — an aim
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bark — to shout
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. object — a thing
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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