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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: mark · calf · lie · rush · trunk · foot · race · lash

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lie — to recline
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. race — a contest
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rush — hurry
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — to pay attention

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