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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: lie · arm · current · last · mine · chair · lash · ball

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. last — finally
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — electric
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chair — a leader
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ball — a great time
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. last — to go on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mine — for digging
  23. last — final
  24. mine — belonging to me

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