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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. row — to paddle
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pop — soda
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. row — a line
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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