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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · saw · temple · degree · nail · prune · bark · racket

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. bark — to shout
  3. object — a thing
  4. prune — to trim
  5. degree — from a university
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. prune — to trim
  9. saw — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. degree — temperature
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. degree — an amount
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. object — an aim
  23. saw — the tool
  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