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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.

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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: lean · hand · rush · lash · bear · stock · trunk · calf

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stock — goods
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lean — thin
  23. hand — help
  24. stock — shares

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