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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
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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: kid · squash · trunk · safe · coach · branch · pitcher · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. kid — to tease
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kid — child
  24. squash — the sport

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