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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: pit · fine · fan · temple · bear · press · ruler · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pit — in a race
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — to push
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fine — high quality
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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