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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — to play on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rest — what's left
  19. swing — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — to fit

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