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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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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: cue · branch · wave · racket · chest · drill · stand · band

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. chest — of your body
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — army training
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. band — a ring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. band — a music group
  20. cue — for pool
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. branch — a division
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cue — a signal

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