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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: bulb · object · jam · arm · land · stick · bowl · temple

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — a country
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. land — to come down
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — of a plant

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