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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: foot · press · net · prune · snap · pitcher · current · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. net — for catching
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — of water
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. net — after costs
  13. prune — to trim
  14. current — electric
  15. press — a publisher
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — in sport
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. press — to push
  23. snap — to click
  24. pitcher — a jug

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