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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: row · roll · craft · mug · trunk · ball · rest · object

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mug — a cup
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — a face
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — a thing
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — boats
  15. row — a line
  16. roll — a list
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. roll — a cake
  19. object — an aim
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mug — to rob
  23. object — to protest
  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