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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
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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 · arm · bowl · can · root · bay · clip · object

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — the cause
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. root — of a word
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. root — of a plant
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. can — to be able to
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. can — a tin
  20. clip — a video
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. object — a thing

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