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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: cap · temple · fork · stock · chip · prune · trunk · mine

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stock — shares
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cap — of ice
  12. chip — to eat
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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