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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 · mate · stem · nail · kick · suit · arm · last

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. kick — in football
  3. suit — in cards
  4. last — final
  5. stem — to come from
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mate — a friend
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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