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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: cell · pass · straw · fork · temple · trunk · roll · can

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. roll — a list
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fork — in a road
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cell — a phone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. can — a tin
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. roll — a cake
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. cell — in biology

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