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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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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 · fork · trunk · file · toast · field · craft · roll

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. roll — a cake
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. roll — a list
  10. craft — boats
  11. field — farmland
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. field — for sport
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. field — a subject
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. file — a document
  22. toast — bread
  23. file — a tool
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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