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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: firm · nail · ground · racket · coach · rule · branch · rush

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — a law
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — government
  9. firm — decided
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ground — crushed
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. branch — a division
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. firm — a company

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