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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: arm · firm · trunk · prune · rush · fine · foot · hide

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fine — high quality
  4. foot — a measure
  5. firm — decided
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. firm — steady
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fine — all right
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. prune — to trim
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. firm — a company
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. arm — a part of something

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