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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: pass · wind · hand · stand · bulb · arm · bear · mug

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hand — help
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — a face
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stand — to bear
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bear — the animal

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