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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.

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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: cap · land · hide · suit · prune · key · coach · lean

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. key — in music
  6. land — a country
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. land — ground
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. land — to come down
  17. lean — thin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cap — a lid
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cap — a hat
  24. hide — to keep secret

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