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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 120 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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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: fork · drill · trunk · nail · temple · perch · cue · club

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. drill — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. club — a group
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — a practice
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. drill — army training
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cue — a signal
  24. perch — the fish

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