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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: coach · bowl · foot · cabinet · bark · prune · lean · swing

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. lean — to rest against

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