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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: temple · squash · arm · bass · trunk · saw · fork · firm

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bass — the fish
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fork — in a road
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. squash — the sport
  10. saw — the tool
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. firm — decided
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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