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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: firm · key · saw · coach · club · mark · wax · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. firm — a company
  7. saw — the tool
  8. club — for dancing
  9. key — in music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. club — a group
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — steady
  16. club — for golf
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. key — for a lock
  24. firm — decided

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