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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 · arm · lean · track · ball · club · firm · fan

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lean — thin
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ball — a dance
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. firm — a company
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — steady
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. track — a song
  20. club — for golf
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — a path

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