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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: roll · rule · bay · present · degree · arm · lie · temple

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — a cake
  3. present — a gift
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. roll — a list
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rule — government
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — from a university

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