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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.

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: arm · foot · patient · leaves · rule · tube · coach · ground

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rule — government
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ground — a position
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. ground — the earth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rule — a law
  16. ground — crushed
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. foot — a measure
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. foot — the bottom

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