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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 · chip · prune · march · stick · bay · squash · firm

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. firm — a company
  7. chip — for betting
  8. firm — decided
  9. march — the month
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. march — music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. firm — steady
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. march — the month
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. prune — to trim
  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