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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 120 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 · stand · coach · staff · pitcher · prune · fan · cabinet

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. prune — to trim
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mug — a face
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. staff — a stick
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. staff — employees
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — to bear

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