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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.

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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: prune · branch · coach · stand · plane · bulb · mate · court

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — to bear
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. court — of a king
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. branch — a division
  18. mate — a friend
  19. plane — a tool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mate — a partner
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. court — of law

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