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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: kick · pound · prune · bound · wave · temple · arm · toast

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bound — certain
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — tied together
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. kick — in football
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — bread
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — a weight
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. kick — a thrill

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