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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 · track · bank · prune · stand · craft · kick · lash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — a song
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stand — to bear
  8. track — a path
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. kick — in football
  15. track — to keep track
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stand — on your feet

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