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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 120 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: foot · arm · bulb · band · cue · pass · pound · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. net — in sport
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pass — a permit
  5. net — for catching
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. net — after costs
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. band — a music group
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. band — a ring
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cue — a hint
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cue — a signal
  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