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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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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: sharp · bulb · mouse · arm · toast · clip · suit · wake

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. clip — for paper
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. suit — in cards
  22. toast — bread
  23. wake — a trail
  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