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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 · press · row · kick · band · chip · craft · mark

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. row — to paddle
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mark — a trace
  11. press — a publisher
  12. chip — for betting
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. press — newspapers
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. press — to push
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. craft — boats
  22. kick — in football
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. chip — in a computer

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