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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: pass · trunk · arm · roll · craft · staff · rest · kick

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. roll — a list
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — employees
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. craft — boats
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rest — a break
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. craft — a skill
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. craft — a handicraft

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