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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: branch · stand · coach · stick · mug · racket · present · key

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — the time now
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. branch — a division
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — a gift
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — to rob
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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