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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.

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: file · arm · coach · mouse · present · pitcher · rock · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. present — the time now
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. file — a tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. file — a document
  14. present — a gift
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rock — music
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. present — there
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rock — a stone
  24. squash — the sport

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