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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: cell · suit · fork · temple · rest · trunk

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — in a road
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — a break
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cell — in biology
  18. temple — a place of worship

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