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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: pound · trunk · row · rush · arm · land · present · craft

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. row — a line
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. craft — a skill
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. present — the time now
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — there
  18. rush — hurry
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. present — a gift
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. pound — a weight
  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