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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: cell · last · lean · snap · lie · mate · bear · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. last — to go on
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lean — thin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cell — in biology
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. snap — to click
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. last — final
  24. last — finally

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