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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: rule · branch · pop · calf · vault · deal · coach · racket

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. branch — a division
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pop — soda
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pop — to visit
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — of a tree

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