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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: ruler · cabinet · pass · trunk · prune · temple · race · date

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — to trim
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pass — a permit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. race — a contest
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. race — humankind
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cabinet — ministers

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