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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: leaves · dip · cap · foot · kick · prune · can · coach

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cap — a hat
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cap — a lid
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. kick — in football
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. kick — a thrill

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