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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: charge · fan · trunk · kick · bowl · temple · bay · track

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. track — a path
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. charge — a price
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a song
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. kick — in football
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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