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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: trunk · cell · ball · calf · current · cabinet · date · staff

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — electric
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — happening now
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cell — in biology
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. current — of water

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