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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: coach · ruler · face · bear · prune · sharp · trunk · cap

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cap — a lid
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — clever
  7. face — to confront
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. face — part of the head
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. prune — to trim

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