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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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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 · object · board · pass · charge · stem · trunk · race

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. charge — electricity
  3. object — a thing
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stem — to come from
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. object — an aim
  10. charge — a price
  11. board — a committee
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — to get on
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. race — humankind
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. object — to protest
  20. pass — a permit
  21. race — the arms race
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. board — a flat piece

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