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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: nail · mouse · bulb · content · wake · ruler · hide · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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