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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: trunk · rock · temple · deal · pop · mug · wound · fan

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rock — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mug — a face
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — an injury
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mug — a cup
  24. temple — a place of worship

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