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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · prune · cabinet · coach · band · mate · pit · object

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. object — an aim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — to protest
  20. mug — to rob
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — a thing

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