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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: march · deal · kick · stem · racket · cue · branch · coach

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stem — to come from
  5. kick — in football
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. march — the month
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — a signal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cue — for pool
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. march — music
  22. cue — a hint
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. march — the month

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