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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. craft — a skill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. race — a contest
  8. mug — a face
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pass — a permit
  15. season — of the year
  16. tube — a container
  17. season — in sport
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. race — humankind
  22. mug — to rob
  23. trunk — of a car
  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