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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 120 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: arm · deal · trunk · court · can · bay · mate · straw

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. deal — to handle
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mate — a friend
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. court — of law
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. court — for sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. can — a tin
  20. court — of a king
  21. can — to be able to
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mate — a partner

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