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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.

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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 · sharp · fork · temple · mark · arm

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a car

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