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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 120 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: season · temple · fine · prune · degree · charge · stand · rock

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. prune — to trim
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. degree — from a university
  13. rock — music
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rock — a stone
  16. charge — a price
  17. season — of the year
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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