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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 · branch · bass · row · cue · net · calf · mug

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mug — a face
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bass — low music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. row — a line
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bass — the fish
  20. branch — a division
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — a quarrel

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