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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: bass · pound · arm · snap · nail · bulb · pitch · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. snap — to click
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pitch — completely
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bass — low music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pitch — a sports field

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