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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · shower · arm · pitch · trunk · rush · stick · press

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rush — hurry
  12. shower — rain
  13. press — newspapers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. shower — to wash
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. press — a publisher
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. press — to push
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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