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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: temple · dip · prune · bulb · rest · march · date · rush

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — what's left
  8. march — the month
  9. dip — to sink
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. prune — to trim
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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