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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 116 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: racket · fine · coach · wax · wound · rule · prune · march

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. march — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rule — government
  8. wax — to grow
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wound — an injury
  11. prune — to trim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — a law
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. march — the month
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — all right
  23. wound — an injury
  24. prune — the fruit

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