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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: prune · rest · can · arm · bowl · stand · mug · band

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. band — a music group
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mug — a face
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. band — a ring
  24. can — to be able to

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