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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: arm · coach · perch · nail · bay · chair · branch · pitch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pitch — completely
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. branch — a division
  21. chair — a leader
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. nail — on a finger

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