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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.

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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: shower · squash · temple · prune · can · coach · lash · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. can — to be able to
  24. squash — to crush

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