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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · temple · stand · plane · calf · game · lean · trunk

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lean — thin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. game — a match
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. snap — to click
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. plane — a tool
  24. game — wild animals

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