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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: arm · spring · safe · prune · racket · coach · leaves · rush

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. spring — a coil
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spring — of water
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spring — the season
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. coach — a trainer

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