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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: last · stick · pop · mark · arm · lash · trunk · deal

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. last — to go on
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. last — finally
  21. pop — music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a trace
  24. last — final

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