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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: deal · branch · trunk · game · coach · charge · stock · rush

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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 — pulled by horses
  2. branch — a division
  3. rush — hurry
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. game — a match
  12. charge — electricity
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — a price
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stock — goods
  23. charge — in control
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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