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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: pass · safe · pound · rock · kick · land · prune · temple

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. prune — to trim
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rock — music
  16. land — to come down
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kick — in football
  24. safe — out of danger

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