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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.

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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 · coach · arm · snap · suit · prune · fan · stock

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stock — shares
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stock — a soup base

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