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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: object · mouse · rash · calf · trunk · chip · rush · wax

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. object — to protest
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rash — a series
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — a thing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. chip — to eat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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