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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 · file · wind · coach · jam · chest · arm · suit

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chest — of your body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. file — a tool
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — in cards
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wind — moving air
  11. file — a document
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. can — a tin
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. can — a tin
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. suit — to fit
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. file — a line of people
  22. can — to be able to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. arm — part of the body

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