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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: stick · chip · fork · root · track · lash · rush · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — a song
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. root — of a word
  24. trunk — of a tree

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