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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 · pass · court · rest · spring · temple · chair · bank

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — a permit
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. spring — of water
  12. rest — a break
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bank — of a river
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — for money
  20. court — of law
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. spring — the season
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chair — a leader

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