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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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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: bank · prune · rest · bass · bowl · temple · ruler · sharp

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. prune — to trim
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bank — for money
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the fish
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rest — a break
  19. bass — low music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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