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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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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: ground · club · march · trunk · deal · bear · craft · arm

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. march — the month
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. craft — boats
  9. ground — crushed
  10. march — the month
  11. club — a group
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. deal — to handle
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. march — music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — a position
  20. club — for golf
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. arm — part of the body

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