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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. prune — to trim
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — clothes
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bank — of a river

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