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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · present · current · pound · march · trunk · pass · arm

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. present — there
  7. march — music
  8. current — electric
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. present — the time now
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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