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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: prune · pound · pit · mug · club · coach · staff · mine

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mug — to rob
  11. prune — to trim
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mine — for digging
  18. staff — employees
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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