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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · squash · temple · fine · lie · date · cabinet · clip

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. date — the fruit
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. clip — to cut
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. squash — the sport
  21. lie — to recline
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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