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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: dip · coach · rule · jam · kick · rock · trunk · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rule — a law
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — government
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. branch — a division
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. branch — of a bank

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