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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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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: branch · temple · perch · foot · mark · trunk · calf · bat

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. branch — a division
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — a trace
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bat — the animal
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — a grade
  23. foot — a measure
  24. perch — the fish

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