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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: rock · saw · march · can · pound · trunk · field · temple

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rock — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. march — the month
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. march — the month
  18. field — farmland
  19. march — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. can — a tin

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