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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: rock · craft · mouse · trunk · staff · hide · calf · wind

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — boats
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. hide — animal skin

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