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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: can · jam · coach · cue · arm · trunk · bay · rush

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — to be able to
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — a hint
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — hurry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. trunk — of a tree

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