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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: trunk · rest · row · bank · coach · racket · rash · lean

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lean — thin
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rash — a series
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rest — a break
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bank — for money
  22. row — a line
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lean — to rest against

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