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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · cue · fan · cell · charge · bark · trunk · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — a price
  5. cell — a phone
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — a thing
  12. cue — for pool
  13. object — to protest
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. object — an aim
  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