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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: mark · arm · lie · craft · pitcher · coach · fall · cap

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — a grade
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fall — the season
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — boats
  24. cap — a hat

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