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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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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: pop · can · arm · cap · wind · firm · rule · coach

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — a tin
  4. pop — music
  5. cap — a lid
  6. can — to be able to
  7. firm — decided
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. firm — steady
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — a tin
  14. pop — to visit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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