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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: rock · ball · coach · mug · tube · kick · branch · last

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. last — finally
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rock — a stone
  5. last — final
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. tube — the underground
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. branch — a division
  15. mug — a face
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rock — music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ball — a great time
  21. last — to go on
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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