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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: hide · mouse · lie · firm · wave · present · bay · arm

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. present — there
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — the time now
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. present — a gift
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. firm — decided

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