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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: rock · trunk · rush · rest · arm · mug · sharp · fine

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mug — a face
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rest — a break
  7. fine — high quality
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — a cup
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — all right
  22. rest — what's left
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. sharp — with an edge

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