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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 116 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: wave · kick · bank · face · perch · trunk · race · calf

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — a contest
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. face — part of the head
  15. race — the arms race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. race — humankind
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. perch — the fish
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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