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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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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 · prune · game · firm · trunk · chair · rest · cabinet

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. firm — decided
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. firm — steady
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. game — wild animals
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. trunk — of a car

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