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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 120 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: scale · root · temple · net · arm · squash · club · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. net — in sport
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. club — for golf
  7. scale — in music
  8. club — a group
  9. scale — size or range
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. club — for dancing
  13. root — of a word
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. root — the cause
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — after costs
  18. squash — the sport
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. net — for catching
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. root — of a plant

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