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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: rest · bay · mine · rash · firm · lie · staff · hide

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. rest — a break
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rash — a series
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — a company
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. hide — to keep secret

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