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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: kick · prune · rash · trunk · craft · fine · temple · nail

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fine — high quality
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rash — hasty
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fine — all right
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rash — a series
  18. craft — a skill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. kick — in football
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rash — on the skin

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