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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: mate · last · bulb · mouse · temple · lie · pound · suit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — clothes
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — in cards
  24. last — finally

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