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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: lie · calf · trunk · pound · game · wound · foot · vault

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. game — a match
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — to recline
  18. game — wild animals
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. foot — a measure
  24. vault — a safe

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