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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: coach · arm · fine · hide · bound · foot · rash · bass

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — certain
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. rash — a series
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — animal skin

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