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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: arm · racket · squash · bark · press · track · stem · coach

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. squash — the sport
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — to crush
  11. press — to push
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stem — to come from
  14. track — to keep track
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bark — to shout
  19. track — a path
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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