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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: game · fork · coach · mark · leaves · stick · prune · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — a match
  4. mark — a trace
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. game — wild animals
  7. mark — a grade
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. coach — a trainer

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