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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · object · hand · bulb · club · cabinet · arm · prune

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — an aim
  9. club — for dancing
  10. object — a thing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. club — for golf
  17. hand — help
  18. object — to protest
  19. club — a group
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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