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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: can · chair · racket · bulb · band · coach · net · arm

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — in sport
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bulb — for light
  9. band — a music group
  10. chair — a leader
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. band — a ring
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. net — after costs
  20. can — to be able to
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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