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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: rock · arm · bulb · wave · toast · spell · fan · game

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. game — wild animals
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — music
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spell — letters
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. spell — magic
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. toast — bread
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. spell — a short time

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