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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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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: mug · arm · pitcher · bulb · saw · row · mate · spell

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. row — a line
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mate — a friend
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mug — a cup
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mate — a partner
  22. spell — magic
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pitcher — a jug

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