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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: hand · prune · board · swing · temple · bear · ball · racket

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. board — a committee
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. swing — to play on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. temple — side of the head

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