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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · chip · calf · dip · wind · prune · staff · ball

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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 — of the leg
  2. ball — a great time
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. prune — to trim
  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