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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: arm · rock · can · chair · file · stem · bay · foot

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. file — a document
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. foot — a measure
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. chair — a leader

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