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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: coach · branch · shower · temple · dip · bulb · prune · last

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. branch — a division
  6. dip — to sink
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — to go on
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. last — final
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. prune — to trim
  23. shower — to wash
  24. temple — a place of worship

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