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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
468
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: coach · bay · club · racket · trunk · wake · branch · rash

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. branch — a division
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rash — a series
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. club — for dancing
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — hasty
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. club — for golf
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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