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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · nail · kid · key · coach · branch · march · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. march — the month
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. roll — a list
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. march — the month
  12. roll — a cake
  13. kid — child
  14. key — in music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. march — music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. key — the most important part
  20. branch — a division
  21. key — for a lock
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kid — to tease
  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