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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.

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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: temple · mate · rock · hide · leaves · coach · kid · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rock — music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kid — to tease
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mate — a partner
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kid — child

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