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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: patient · craft · rest · arm · track · branch · trunk · jam

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. branch — a division
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. track — a song
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. craft — boats
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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