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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: racket · nail · lash · key · branch · field · coach · object

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — in music
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. field — for sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — a thing
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. branch — a division
  19. key — the most important part
  20. object — an aim
  21. field — a subject
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. field — farmland

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