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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · prune · squash · file · object · trunk · bowl · lean

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a line of people
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — an aim
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lean — thin
  16. file — a tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. squash — the sport
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. object — to protest
  21. file — a document
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lean — to bend
  24. squash — to crush

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