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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: squash · craft · row · firm · coach · arm · bulb · rest

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rest — what's left
  3. row — to paddle
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — for light
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. craft — boats
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rest — what's left
  14. squash — the sport
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — a company
  19. rest — a break
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. row — a line

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