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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 · snap · object · prune · racket · ruler · perch · stick

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. object — an aim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. prune — to trim
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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