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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · trunk · game · leaves · club · temple · squash · race

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. race — humankind
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. squash — the sport
  9. game — a match
  10. lean — thin
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. club — for golf
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. game — wild animals
  24. squash — the vegetable

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