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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: coach · board · cap · rock · lash · deal · jam · branch

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. board — to get on
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. deal — to handle
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rock — music
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. cap — a hat
  24. deal — a big deal

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