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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 120 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: pop · root · coach · chest · fork · craft · arm · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. chest — a box
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chest — of your body
  5. root — of a word
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chest — of your body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. band — a music group
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. band — a ring
  16. craft — a skill
  17. root — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pop — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fork — to eat with

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