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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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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 · firm · mine · foot · wake · club · bulb · stick

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wake — a trail
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. club — for golf
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. foot — a measure
  10. club — a group
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — a company
  13. club — for dancing
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. firm — decided
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — steady
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mine — for digging

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