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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: hand · prune · firm · band · hide · arm · staff · chair

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. band — a ring
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. firm — decided
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. band — a music group
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chair — a leader
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. prune — to trim
  19. staff — employees
  20. hand — in cards
  21. firm — steady
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hand — help
  24. arm — a part of something

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