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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: arm · face · lash · cap · firm · pass · last · tear

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. last — to go on
  5. face — to confront
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. face — to point toward
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. face — part of the head
  12. firm — a company
  13. cap — of ice
  14. firm — steady
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cap — a hat
  20. last — final
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. firm — decided
  23. last — finally
  24. cap — a lid

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