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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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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 · mouse · lean · wave · stem · ball · rest · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rest — what's left
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rest — a break
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a great time
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stem — to come from
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — the animal

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