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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: arm · can · bulb · calf · mine · tube · swing · pitch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pitch — completely
  3. swing — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. tube — the underground
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. swing — to play on
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. swing — in golf
  22. tube — a container
  23. can — a tin
  24. mine — an explosive

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