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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: last · arm · suit · bulb · fall · lie · degree · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — to drop
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. last — to go on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rock — music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. degree — temperature
  16. last — final
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fall — the season
  20. last — finally
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — part of the body

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