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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: bulb · lie · last · mate · cabinet · foot · fall · wound

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fall — the season
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wound — an injury
  15. last — final
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fall — to drop

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