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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 120 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: key · temple · pass · squash · tear · mouse · prune · mark

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. squash — the sport
  7. prune — to trim
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tear — from crying
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mark — a grade
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. squash — the vegetable

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