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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: trunk · rest · dip · game · calf · pass · root · charge

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. game — wild animals
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. root — the cause
  5. rest — what's left
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rest — a break
  9. charge — electricity
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. game — a match
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. root — of a plant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. root — of a word
  24. pass — a permit

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