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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: present · chip · swing · calf · trunk · nail · bay · root

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. present — there
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chip — for betting
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — music
  12. present — a gift
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. present — the time now
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. swing — to play on
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. root — of a word
  23. swing — in golf
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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