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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 120 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: root · last · bank · prune · face · scale · club · temple

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. root — of a plant
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. last — final
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bank — for money
  7. root — of a word
  8. bank — of a river
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. last — finally
  13. face — part of the head
  14. root — the cause
  15. face — to point toward
  16. club — a group
  17. scale — in music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. last — to go on
  22. bank — for money
  23. scale — for weighing
  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