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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: can · mate · perch · mine · arm · bulb · saw · tear

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. can — to be able to
  12. tear — from crying
  13. can — a tin
  14. mate — a partner
  15. tear — to rip
  16. can — a tin
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. perch — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mate — to breed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. arm — a part of something

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