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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: straw · mine · prune · root · rule · mouse · coach · calf

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. prune — to trim
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rule — a law
  19. root — the cause
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mine — for digging
  22. root — of a plant
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — of the leg

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