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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: lean · prune · can · spell · present · temple · current · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — to be able to
  5. present — the time now
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — happening now
  10. present — there
  11. lean — thin
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. prune — to trim
  15. present — a gift
  16. lean — to bend
  17. spell — letters
  18. can — a tin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. current — of water
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. arm — part of the body

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