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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: lash · net · dip · can · lean · prune · temple · stick

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. net — in sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — after costs
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lean — thin
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lean — to bend

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