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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: lie · track · wake · charge · arm · spring · saw · foot

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. spring — a coil
  10. wake — a trail
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — of water
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. spring — the season
  19. track — a path
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. saw — the tool
  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