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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — an injury
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. tube — a container
  9. field — farmland
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. field — for sport
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. field — a subject
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wound — an injury
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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