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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 · face · net · coach · firm · toast · fall · temple

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. net — after costs
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fall — to drop
  9. net — for catching
  10. fall — to drop
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. fall — the season
  13. net — in sport
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — a company
  19. face — to point toward
  20. toast — bread
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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