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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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468
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: bear · fine · trunk · rush · present · club · arm · perch

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fine — all right
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rush — hurry
  18. perch — the fish
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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