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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.

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: coach · calf · bulb · prune · cue · lash · file · bear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. file — a tool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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