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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: lash · degree · nail · bark · present · temple · arm · fall

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. degree — an amount
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — the time now
  7. degree — temperature
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fall — the season
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fall — to drop
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — a part of something

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