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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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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: arm · drill · bay · cabinet · lie · face · object · wave

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. object — to protest
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — the tool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — army training
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

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