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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — final
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — a division
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. suit — in cards
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. last — finally
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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