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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 · mouse · race · suit · land · file · arm · charge

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. land — a country
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. land — ground
  5. file — a document
  6. land — to come down
  7. race — humankind
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. file — a tool
  15. race — the arms race
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. file — a line of people
  18. suit — to fit
  19. race — a contest
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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