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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: last · object · pass · arm · chest · can · bulb · spring

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. last — to go on
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. can — a tin
  6. chest — of your body
  7. spring — a coil
  8. last — final
  9. chest — of your body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — an aim
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — a thing
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. object — to protest
  20. chest — a box
  21. spring — the season
  22. last — finally
  23. can — to be able to
  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