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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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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: calf · rest · trunk · club · hide · toast · lash · patient

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. club — for golf
  3. rest — a break
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. club — a group
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lash — an eyelash

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