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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: bay · bulb · temple · foot · bat · branch · prune · straw

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — a division
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. prune — to trim
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. prune — to trim

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