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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: can · mouse · hand · coach · plane · arm · pop · land

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — music
  13. land — to come down
  14. plane — a tool
  15. land — ground
  16. pop — soda
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. land — a country
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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