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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
468
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: bay · current · roll · perch · dip · date · temple · prune

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. current — electric
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. prune — to trim
  16. roll — a cake
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to sink
  20. current — happening now
  21. roll — a list
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. date — the fruit
  24. current — of water

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