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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: prune · hide · march · coach · date · temple · rock · row

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. march — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. prune — to trim
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. march — the month
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. row — a line
  15. prune — to trim
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. march — the month
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. date — the fruit
  21. rock — music
  22. row — to paddle
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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