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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: coach · prune · tube · temple · fan · pit · stand · ruler

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — to bear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. prune — to trim
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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