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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: swing · chip · bass · temple · trunk · cell

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bass — low music
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cell — in biology
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. temple — side of the head

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