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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: bulb · bark · lie · last · arm · foot · current · scale

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. current — of water
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. last — finally
  8. current — electric
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — in music
  13. last — to go on
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. last — final
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. scale — size or range
  23. arm — part of the body
  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