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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: content · bulb · cap · plane · coach · bound · stand · arm

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. bound — obliged
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — a trainer

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