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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: firm · season · craft · lie · content · foot · mouse · arm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. season — in sport
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. content — happy
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. season — of the year
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. craft — a skill
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. content — the amount
  21. craft — boats
  22. firm — steady
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — videos and posts

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