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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: current · kick · prune · bay · bark · lie · trunk · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. kick — in football
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. current — happening now

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