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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
468
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: pitcher · arm · last · bank · trunk · coach · bay · bulb

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — finally
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. last — final
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — to go on
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — of a river
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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