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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. band — a ring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. rock — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — a stone
  17. band — a music group
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. plane — a tool
  24. temple — side of the head

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