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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fall — the season
  13. ground — a position
  14. bank — for money
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — of a river
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fall — to drop

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