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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: charge · saw · pop · arm · bat · safe · ball · bulb

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pop — soda
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pop — music
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bat — the animal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a great time

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