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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: calf · trunk · bear · date · hide · stock · game · wake

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. game — a match
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. game — wild animals
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. date — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wake — before a funeral

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