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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: track · present · calf · game · straw · jam · bore · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. present — there
  14. track — to keep track
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. track — a path
  23. game — a match
  24. bore — to tire

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