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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: arm · coach · safe · bass · pound · bulb · hand · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bass — low music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — help
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hand — in cards
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pound — a weight
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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