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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: coach · arm · rush · prune · foot · bowl · spell · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — a measure
  3. suit — to fit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. rush — hurry
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. suit — clothes
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spell — letters
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. foot — part of the body

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