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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: present · pound · cap · temple · lash · cue · vault · prune

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cue — a hint
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. prune — to trim
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — the time now
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. vault — a safe
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cap — a hat

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