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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 · coach · hand · object · dip · hide · fan · deal

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. object — a thing
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hand — help
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. object — an aim
  17. hand — in cards
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. object — to protest

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