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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 120 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: coach · arm · track · foot · pit · suit · row · kick

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. suit — clothes
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. track — a path
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. pit — a hole
  12. row — a line
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — a measure
  21. row — to paddle
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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