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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: squash · nail · chair · toast · mark · lie · arm · bank

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. toast — bread
  24. mark — a grade

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