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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: prune · charge · calf · bank · key · roll · land · temple

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — the most important part
  7. roll — a cake
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. roll — a list
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — a price
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. land — a country
  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