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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: mug · lean · pitcher · bear · trunk · calf · spell · race

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. race — humankind
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. spell — letters
  15. lean — thin
  16. spell — magic
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. spell — a short time
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. lean — to bend
  22. race — a contest
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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