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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 · mouse · arm · rule · net · fine · craft · roll

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rule — government
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — a law
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. net — for catching
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. roll — a list
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. coach — a trainer

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