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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · coach · pitch · prune · mate · lie · can · branch

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. can — a tin
  3. branch — a division
  4. prune — to trim
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. prune — to trim
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mate — a partner

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