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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: can · chip · straw · object · calf · lean · face · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. can — to be able to
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — a thing
  13. chip — to eat
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — an aim
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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