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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: prune · lash · season · temple · stock · rush · pass · branch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stock — goods
  10. season — of the year
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pass — a permit
  24. season — in sport

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