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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: jam · current · last · court · can · arm · foot · coach

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — a measure
  7. court — for sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — electric
  11. court — of a king
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — of water
  15. last — to go on
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. last — final
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. court — of law
  20. last — finally
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. arm — part of the body

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