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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 120 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: swing · chip · fork · trunk · rush · temple · key · wax

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. key — for a lock
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. swing — music
  19. key — in music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wax — to grow
  23. temple — side of the head
  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