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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: rest · kick · coach · prune · lean · game · suit · rock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rest — what's left
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rest — what's left
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rock — music
  16. lean — thin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — a break
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kick — in football
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rock — a stone
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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