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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: arm · prune · foot · leaves · lie · ball · rush · mark

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mark — a trace
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lie — to recline
  21. foot — a measure
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — a grade
  24. leaves — to go away

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