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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rash · chip · roll · present · pop · trunk · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rash — hasty
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. present — a gift
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rash — a series
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. roll — a list
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — a cake
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — soda
  19. present — there
  20. pop — music
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pop — to visit
  23. present — the time now
  24. trunk — of a car

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