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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 116 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: present · trunk · lean · rash · craft · bat · march · mark

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bat — the animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. present — there
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. march — music
  11. lean — thin
  12. rash — a series
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to bend
  18. march — the month
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rash — hasty
  21. craft — boats
  22. present — a gift
  23. mark — a grade
  24. present — the time now

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