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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: bass · kid · rush · arm · tube · coach · hide · cap

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rush — hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cap — a lid
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — child
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kid — to tease
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bass — the fish

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