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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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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 · staff · mate · temple · chair · lash · pass · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mate — a partner
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — to breed
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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