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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. fall — to drop
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fall — the season
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. can — a tin
  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