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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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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: suit · arm · temple · current · coach · season · firm · deal

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — in cards
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. season — in sport
  10. firm — decided
  11. current — of water
  12. firm — steady
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — clothes
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. season — of the year
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — a trainer

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