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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · rock · coach · arm · trunk · bore · bat · stand

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. rock — music
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. file — a document
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bore — to tire
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bat — the animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stand — to bear
  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