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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 · pound · prune · plane · roll · press · race · ruler

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. roll — a list
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. press — to push
  13. prune — to trim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pound — a weight
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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