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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: trunk · stick · snap · rock · mug · bat · coach · calf

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rock — music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to click
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mug — a face

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