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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: board · pass · plane · pound · calf · arm · mark · trunk

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — a weight
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. board — to get on
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pass — a permit
  24. calf — of the leg

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