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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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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: prune · cabinet · calf · bound · roll · cue · land · temple

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bound — tied together
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. roll — a list
  24. prune — the fruit

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