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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
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: march · bulb · can · spell · arm · club · mate · wave

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. club — for golf
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. spell — letters
  6. mate — to breed
  7. spell — a short time
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a partner
  22. club — a group
  23. spell — magic
  24. can — a tin

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