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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · jam · wave · net · temple · clip · racket · bulb

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — for catching
  5. clip — a video
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. clip — to cut
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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