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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 120 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: land · arm · patient · rush · bank · bulb · nail · pitch

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. patient — calm and waiting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitch — completely
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — to come down
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — for money
  19. land — ground
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bank — of a river
  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