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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: cabinet · bulb · mate · bowl · suit · toast · degree · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — clothes
  4. toast — bread
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bulb — for light
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. fall — the season
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mate — a partner
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mate — to breed
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bowl — to roll

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