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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: dip · rest · racket · bulb · saw · wave · bat · arm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bat — the animal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rest — what's left
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — a break
  24. wave — with your hand

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