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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: mark · bulb · hide · arm · saw · bear

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mark — a trace
  5. saw — the tool
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. saw — the tool

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