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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: file · sharp · lie · arm · mark · can · trunk · present

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — there
  11. file — a line of people
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — the time now
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. can — to be able to
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. file — a tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — a gift

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