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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: arm · coach · firm · foot · jam · wave · craft · trunk

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — a company
  8. craft — boats
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — decided
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. firm — steady

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