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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: rush · cue · nail · trunk · object · temple · straw · tear

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. tear — to rip
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — a thing
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — an aim
  15. rush — hurry
  16. object — to protest
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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