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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
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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: bay · arm · spell · object · coach · date · stem · ruler

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse 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. spell — letters
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — a short time
  19. object — an aim
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — a thing
  24. spell — magic

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