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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: trunk · rash · rest · temple · lash · deal · jam · stick

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rash — hasty
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rest — what's left
  24. trunk — of a tree

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