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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 · rash · prune · plane · drill · jam · trunk · cabinet

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rash — a series
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. drill — a practice
  22. plane — a tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. trunk — of a car

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