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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
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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 · coach · band · court · firm · nail · date · wave

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. firm — a company
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a ring
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — of a king
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. court — of law
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. date — the fruit
  20. band — a music group
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. court — for sport
  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