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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: rash · straw · temple · cell · prune · press · sharp · firm

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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 — to trim
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. press — newspapers
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rash — a series
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. firm — decided
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. press — to push
  17. firm — a company
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — hasty
  21. press — a publisher
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — clever
  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