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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: craft · arm · coach · pitcher · band · stock · trunk · ruler

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. band — a ring
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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