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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: degree · bat · pit · bank · calf · fall · suit · lie

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pit — in a race
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fall — the season
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — a hole
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — temperature
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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