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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: mate · lie · arm · snap · last · board · press · bear

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. press — newspapers
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. last — finally
  8. mate — a partner
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mate — to breed
  11. last — to go on
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — to push
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. press — a publisher
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. board — a committee
  22. snap — to click
  23. bear — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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