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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bulb · toast · saw · date · object · arm · bank · shower

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — a thing
  8. bank — of a river
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. shower — to wash
  11. toast — bread
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. date — the fruit
  22. shower — rain
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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