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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: cap · chest · object · file · calf · suit · mate · trunk

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a lid
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chest — of your body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mate — a partner
  11. object — a thing
  12. cap — a hat
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. object — to protest
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chest — a box
  18. object — an aim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mate — to breed
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a document

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