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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: mark · bulb · arm · charge · saw · mine · pitcher · can

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mine — for digging
  7. can — a tin
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — electricity
  20. can — to be able to
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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