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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 · chip · rush · spring · bank · snap · face · foot

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. face — to confront
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. face — part of the head
  13. foot — a measure
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spring — of water
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. face — to point toward
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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