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

Word bank: temple · bass · staff · pop · prune · ruler · cap · nail

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bass — low music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — employees
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cap — a lid
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cap — of ice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the fish

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