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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: rush · club · saw · rash · bulb · branch · ball · coach

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — a series
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — for golf
  17. rush — hurry
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. club — a group
  20. branch — a division
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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