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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: fan · craft · board · rock · hand · field · temple · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. field — for sport
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. field — farmland
  9. board — a committee
  10. hand — help
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — a skill
  13. field — a subject
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — to get on
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. trunk — of a tree

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