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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: lie · pass · stick · arm · root · trunk · rash · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. root — of a word
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — the cause
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rash — hasty
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — a series

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