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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: sharp · lie · can · arm · bulb · spring · game · fall

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fall — to drop
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. can — a tin
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fall — the season
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — a match
  18. spring — the season
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. can — to be able to
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spring — of water
  23. fall — to drop
  24. game — wild animals

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