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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · spell · mark · bay · wake · content · lie · pitcher

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. content — happy
  3. wake — a trail
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mark — a trace
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — letters
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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