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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · prune · mouse · ball · pitcher · bank

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bank — for money
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mouse — for a computer

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