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

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rock — music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cap — a hat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rock — a stone

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