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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: arm · last · bear · field · calf · ruler · coach · trunk

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. field — farmland
  11. last — final
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — the animal
  18. field — for sport
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. calf — a young animal

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