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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · saw · season · bat · hand · bay · lie · safe

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — in sport
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. season — of the year

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