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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: cell · bass · bulb · arm · saw · toast · pound · safe

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bass — the fish
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pound — a weight
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cell — a phone
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bass — low music
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bulb — for light
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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