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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 120 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
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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: rush · arm · stick · mine · bay · lie · ball · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — for digging
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. can — a tin
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lie — an untruth

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