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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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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: fine · stem · branch · fall · track · chair · racket · coach

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. branch — a division
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. track — to keep track
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. fall — the season
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chair — a leader
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — all right
  22. fall — to drop
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. track — a song

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