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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 116 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: rash · trunk · pit · kick · ball · craft

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rash — hasty
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pit — in a race
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. craft — boats

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