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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: spring · present · temple · wave · mug · prune · bank · saw

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. present — a gift
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mug — a face
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. present — there
  13. spring — of water
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mug — a cup
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — of a river
  22. spring — the season
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — the time now

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