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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: rush · hide · temple · perch · prune · bay · squash · pop

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. perch — the fish
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rush — hurry
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pop — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — soda
  24. temple — side of the head

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