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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: band · dip · bear · bass · foot · nail · kick · trunk

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. dip — to sink
  6. foot — a measure
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. kick — in football
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bass — low music
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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