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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · bulb · craft · foot · coach · track · stand · bass

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bulb — for light
  10. foot — a measure
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. track — a song
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. craft — a skill
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bass — low music

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