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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. current — electric
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — a country
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — completely
  10. land — ground
  11. spring — the season
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spring — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. land — to come down
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. current — of water
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bulb — for light

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