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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 120 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: firm · coach · nail · track · arm · racket · hide · kid

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. firm — a company
  3. track — a path
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a song
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kid — to tease
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — to keep track
  15. kid — child
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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