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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 · rash · toast · root · trunk · calf · fine · staff

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — all right
  8. toast — bread
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. staff — a stick
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a word
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rash — a series
  19. root — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fine — high quality
  24. root — the cause

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