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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.

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: file · coach · arm · suit · last · cell · ball · craft

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. file — a line of people
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. cell — a phone
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. file — a tool
  13. cell — in biology
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. craft — boats
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — in cards
  19. last — finally
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a dance
  23. file — a document
  24. cell — in a prison

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