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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: arm · rock · hide · pass · trunk · toast · jam · row

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. toast — bread
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. row — a line
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rock — music

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