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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 · branch · date · rest · deal · staff · wave · roll

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. date — the fruit
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — a list
  14. staff — employees
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. deal — to handle
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. roll — a cake
  24. coach — a trainer

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