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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: firm · leaves · deal · mouse · prune · band · arm · coach

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. deal — to handle
  20. band — a ring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. band — a music group
  24. leaves — lets stay

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