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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.

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: pitch · prune · press · temple · sharp · straw · roll · trunk

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. press — to push
  4. pitch — completely
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. press — newspapers
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. press — a publisher
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. roll — a list
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. trunk — of a tree

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