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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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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: prune · temple · bound · pass · net · chest · club · board

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chest — a box
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. board — a committee
  5. club — a group
  6. prune — to trim
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. prune — to trim
  11. net — in sport
  12. bound — obliged
  13. board — to get on
  14. chest — of your body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pass — a permit
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bound — certain
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chest — of your body
  23. club — for golf
  24. bound — tied together

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