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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: tube · jam · bound · prune · swing · firm · ball · temple

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — music
  5. firm — steady
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bound — certain
  9. prune — to trim
  10. swing — to play on
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bound — tied together
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. firm — decided
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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