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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 · can · squash · fork · temple · fine · stem · rush

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fork — in a road
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stem — to come from
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — hurry

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