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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: jam · season · cue · fall · coach · calf · branch · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. season — of the year
  3. cue — a hint
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. season — in sport
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fall — to drop
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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