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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. band — a music group
  6. prune — to trim
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — the fish
  9. swing — in golf
  10. band — a ring
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. swing — music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rest — a break
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cue — for pool

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