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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: rule · bat · bank · plane · stock · bear · temple · prune

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bat — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rule — a law
  9. bank — for money
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stock — goods
  16. bear — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — shares
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rule — government

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