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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. capital — a city
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. capital — money
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — to bear
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — of a river
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. prune — to trim
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stand — for spectators

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