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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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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 · capital · staff

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — in a road
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. staff — employees
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. staff — a stick
  8. suit — clothes
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rest — a break
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. capital — a city
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. capital — money
  18. suit — in cards
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — to fit
  22. staff — employees
  23. cell — in biology
  24. rest — what's left

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