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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: ground · ruler · trunk · lash · race · dip · firm · temple

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ground — the earth
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ground — crushed
  17. race — humankind
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ground — a position
  24. race — a contest

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