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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: trunk · sharp · arm · bulb · lean · can · racket · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. can — to be able to
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. row — a line
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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