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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: trunk · straw · root · snap · hide · pitcher · kick · temple

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. root — the cause
  24. hide — to keep secret

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