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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: key · track · band · board · kid · coach · bank · rock

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. kid — to tease
  4. rock — a stone
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. board — a committee
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. band — a ring
  15. kid — child
  16. band — a music group
  17. key — in music
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. track — a song
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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