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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 120 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: bank · bulb · pitcher · fine · kick · prune · coach · chair

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. kick — in football
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — for light
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fine — a penalty
  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