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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: mouse · bulb · race · plane · arm · bank · hand · fork

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. race — humankind
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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