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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: calf · branch · trunk · mate · pit · bulb · object · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. object — to protest
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pit — a hole
  7. branch — a division
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. pit — in a race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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