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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: ruler · wave · perch · bulb · present · pop · ground · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pop — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. present — the time now
  6. perch — the fish
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. present — there
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. present — a gift
  21. ground — a position
  22. bulb — for light
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — for measuring

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