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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: chip · temple · root · chair · key · bass · trunk · arm

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. key — for a lock
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bass — low music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. key — in music
  14. root — the cause
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chip — for betting
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bass — the fish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. root — of a word
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. chair — to sit on

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