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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: row · press · current · temple · racket · kick · coach · branch

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. row — to paddle
  6. kick — in football
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — happening now
  11. press — newspapers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — electric
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. row — a line
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. current — of water
  24. temple — a place of worship

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