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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: wax · prune · stand · racket · mine · coach · cue · perch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mine — for digging
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — to grow
  9. prune — to trim
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. prune — to trim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — a signal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wax — in the ear

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