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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: rash · bound · trunk · hide · rush · kick · calf · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — certain
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rash — hasty
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bound — tied together
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. key — in music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rash — a series
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. rush — hurry

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