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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: arm · mug · fork · trunk · fine · pitch · mark · wound

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fine — high quality
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pitch — completely
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fine — all right
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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