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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: pass · prune · stick · rock · staff · fork · snap · temple

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. snap — to click
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rock — music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pass — a permit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. temple — a place of worship

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