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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: trunk · nail · stick · temple · rock · chip · mine · last

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. last — final
  3. last — finally
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. last — to go on
  16. rock — music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mine — for digging
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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