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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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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: trunk · temple · stick · file · content · mouse · lie · foot

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. content — the amount
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. file — a document
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. foot — a measure
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. content — happy
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lie — to recline
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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