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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: perch · object · prune · trunk · plane · land · temple · key

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. prune — to trim
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. object — an aim
  8. perch — the fish
  9. object — to protest
  10. key — for a lock
  11. object — a thing
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — ground
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. land — to come down
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. land — a country
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. plane — a tool

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