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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: arm · racket · nail · bulb · squash · current · kid · snap

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kid — child
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. kid — to tease
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. current — happening now
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. current — electric
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — the sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. snap — to click
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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