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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: roll · trunk · rule · stock · fan · mug · temple · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mug — to rob
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mug — a face
  7. rule — a law
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. roll — a cake
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. stock — goods
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stock — shares
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. roll — a list
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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