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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 · wound · trunk · bowl · mine · net · foot · toast

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. bowl — a dish
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wound — an injury
  14. net — after costs
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. net — for catching
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wound — an injury
  23. net — in sport
  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