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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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Word bank
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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: bank · temple · hand · stem · prune · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. can — to be able to
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — to come from
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. hand — in cards
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. hand — help
  15. can — a tin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — of a river
  18. 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