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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 · coach · toast · stand · jam · cue · trunk · bowl

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — a signal
  17. branch — a division
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. jam — in traffic

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