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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: leaves · hide · object · calf · rush · charge · trunk · pass

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. object — to protest
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. charge — electricity
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — an aim
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — a thing
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — a price
  15. pass — a permit
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. charge — in control
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. calf — of the leg

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