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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: mate · firm · toast · prune · coach · plane · squash · cue

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. toast — bread
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cue — a hint
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a friend
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mate — a partner

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