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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 · coach · trunk · club · foot · pit · date · snap

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. date — the fruit
  8. snap — to click
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. club — for golf
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. foot — a measure
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pit — in a race
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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