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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: trunk · temple · mouse · lash · ground · rush · fan · chip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ground — the earth
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ground — a position
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ground — crushed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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