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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 · ruler · temple · sharp · bear · swing · deal · rush

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rush — hurry
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. swing — music
  12. sharp — clever
  13. deal — to handle
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — in golf
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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