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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 · coach · branch · rock · bowl · bay · stand · band

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. band — a ring
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. field — farmland
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. band — a music group
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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