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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: chair · ruler · temple · game · track · rush · sharp · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held 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 an elephant
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rush — hurry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. track — to keep track
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. sharp — clever
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. track — a path
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chair — a professorship
  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