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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: squash · net · key · clip · arm · shower · dip · bulb

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. net — for catching
  14. key — in music
  15. clip — a video
  16. net — after costs
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. clip — for paper
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. key — for a lock
  23. dip — to sink
  24. clip — to cut

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