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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.

Make a worksheet

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: trunk · calf · ball · roll · craft · club · dip · chair

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. club — a group
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. club — for golf
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. club — for dancing
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. roll — a cake
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — of the leg

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