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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 · temple · can · staff · leaves · mouse · prune · rush

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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