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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: rule · arm · lean · fan · coach · deal · bulb · tube

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rule — government
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. tube — a container
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rule — a law
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fan — a supporter

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