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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: bulb · mark · wax · nail · arm · snap · club · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. club — for golf
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. snap — to click
  7. date — the fruit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. club — a group
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. club — for dancing
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bulb — for light

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