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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 120 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: lash · can · race · coach · wave · court · tube · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. court — for sport
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — a tin
  7. court — of law
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. court — of a king
  11. race — humankind
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — a contest
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. race — the arms race
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. tube — a container
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — the underground
  24. branch — a division

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