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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: cabinet · temple · face · firm · clip · prune · bowl · staff

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. prune — to trim
  3. staff — employees
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. face — to confront
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — for paper
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. clip — to cut
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to point toward
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. face — part of the head
  20. firm — a company
  21. clip — a video
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. prune — to trim

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