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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: band · bark · trunk · squash · firm · pitcher · coach · present

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. band — a ring
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. present — there
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — to shout
  20. squash — to crush
  21. firm — a company
  22. band — a music group
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — the sport

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