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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
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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: field · sharp · can · prune · dip · coach · fine · bass

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — all right
  8. field — a subject
  9. fine — high quality
  10. sharp — clever
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. field — farmland
  17. bass — the fish
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. field — for sport
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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