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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 · rock · bore · bay · press · pound · rest · trunk

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. press — to push
  5. rock — music
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pound — a weight
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rest — a break
  16. press — newspapers
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — gave birth

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