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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 120 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: coach · rush · mouse · bound · fork · rash · calf · trunk

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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 tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rash — a series
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fork — in a road
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bound — certain
  24. coach — a trainer

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