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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: toast · last · arm · rash · lie · cell · bear · dip

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. dip — to sink
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. toast — bread
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — to go on
  17. rash — a series
  18. cell — a phone
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cell — in biology
  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