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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 116 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: scale · prune · staff · wake · bound · chair · coach · bank

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — tied together
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. staff — employees
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bound — certain
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bank — for money
  24. chair — a professorship

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