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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 120 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: can · hide · trunk · last · coach · pitcher · branch · cue

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. last — final
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — a signal
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cue — a hint

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