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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
468
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: rash · leaves · stick · lean · rule · coach · calf · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rash — hasty
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lean — thin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rash — a series
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. leaves — of a tree

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