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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: branch · stand · coach · hand · scale · fork · bay · press

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — in cards
  6. scale — size or range
  7. press — to push
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — in a road
  12. press — newspapers
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hand — help
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. scale — in music
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. hand — part of the body

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