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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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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: hand · swing · trunk · plane · calf · mug · wake · racket

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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 an elephant
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. mug — a face
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. hand — in cards
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a cup
  19. swing — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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