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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: staff · trunk · calf · lash · kick · press · lean · hide

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lean — thin
  3. staff — employees
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. press — to push
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. kick — in football
  16. press — a publisher
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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