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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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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: deal · toast · bulb · arm · band · club · calf · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. club — for dancing
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. deal — to handle
  10. band — a ring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — for golf
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. mark — a trace
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. band — a music group
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. arm — a part of something

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