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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · coach · calf · rock · branch · kick · wind · squash

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — the sport
  6. branch — a division
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — clothes
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rock — a stone
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rock — music
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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