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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: track · calf · wound · temple · mug · band · charge · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mug — a cup
  4. track — a song
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. band — a music group
  11. track — to keep track
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — in control
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — a path
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. band — a ring
  22. charge — a price
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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