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

Word bank: leaves · race · trunk · rest · object · craft · arm · vault

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. race — a contest
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. rest — a break
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. race — the arms race
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rest — what's left
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. race — humankind

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