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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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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: fall · calf · key · craft · kick · stem · trunk · press

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fall — the season
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stem — to come from
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. kick — in football
  12. press — to push
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — in music
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fall — to drop
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. press — a publisher

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