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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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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 · pass · mark · coach · chair · foot · bulb · bay

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — a trace

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