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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: fine · arm · cell · lie · snap · bear · coach · calf

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. snap — to click
  23. fine — all right
  24. lie — to recline

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