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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: charge · current · hide · row · rush · arm · trunk · ball

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — hurry
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — electricity
  16. row — to paddle
  17. charge — a price
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. row — a line
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. current — electric

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