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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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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: chip · present · prune · coach · drill · rest · mate · pound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. present — there
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — a break
  24. prune — to trim

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