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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: coach · nail · bank · firm · leaves · ground · cell · arm

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cell — in biology
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bank — of a river
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. firm — steady
  13. ground — crushed
  14. firm — a company
  15. cell — a phone
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — a position
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ground — the earth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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