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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
468
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: arm · craft · pitcher · ball · trunk · club · rush · rash

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — a skill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ball — a great time
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. club — for dancing
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. craft — boats

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