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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: temple · trunk · mate · root · hand · racket · arm · key

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mate — a friend
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a partner
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — the most important part
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hand — in cards
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — for a lock
  14. root — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mate — to breed
  23. root — the cause
  24. temple — a place of worship

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