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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: tube · row · deal · branch · track · racket · coach · wave

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. tube — the underground
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — a line
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. tube — a container
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. track — a song
  24. coach — a trainer

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