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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 · bank · craft · pitch · nail · arm · plane · straw

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. craft — a skill
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. plane — a tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bank — for money

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