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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 · stand · arm · temple · file · perch · suit · court

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — for sport
  11. suit — in cards
  12. court — of a king
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a document
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. file — a tool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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