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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · sharp · content · bulb · rest · board · coach · degree

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rest — what's left
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. content — the amount
  13. sharp — clever
  14. board — a committee
  15. bulb — for light
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. content — happy
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — to recline

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