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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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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: date · rush · nail · arm · drill · prune · temple · stand

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rush — hurry
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. drill — army training
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. drill — a practice
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. date — the fruit
  24. drill — the 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