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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 116 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: rock · scale · branch · coach · ruler · charge · racket · fan

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. branch — a division
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. scale — in music
  15. charge — a price
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — electricity
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — a stone
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — of a bank

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