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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: stick · fall · foot · fine · pass · march · trunk · calf

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fine — all right
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. march — music
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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