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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
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: cue · pit · plane · dip · prune · temple · can · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — a hint
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mine — for digging
  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