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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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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fall — to drop
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. branch — a division
  12. saw — the tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. foot — a measure
  19. net — after costs
  20. fall — to drop
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. net — in sport
  24. fall — the season

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