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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.

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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: straw · prune · band · perch · temple · key · bulb · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. perch — the fish
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. key — for a lock
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. band — a ring

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