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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: pass · lean · bat · rush · trunk · arm · ball · rest

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — thin
  17. rest — a break
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rest — what's left

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