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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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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 · temple · stick · sharp · prune · cue · pound · saw

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — for pool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cue — a signal

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