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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: lie · bear · arm · jam · cue · nail · field · bulb

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cue — a signal
  3. field — a subject
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — a hint
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. field — for sport
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. field — farmland
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bear — the animal

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