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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · present · chest · scale · arm · row · trunk · bay

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. scale — in music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. present — there
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. present — the time now
  11. chest — of your body
  12. can — a tin
  13. chest — of your body
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — a gift
  16. row — to paddle
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chest — a box
  19. scale — size or range
  20. row — a line
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. can — to be able to
  24. row — a quarrel

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