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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: pitcher · pop · chair · prune · temple · pound · coach · deal

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pop — soda
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. deal — a big deal

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