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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: foot · wave · firm · bay · toast · land · arm · lean

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. toast — bread
  4. lean — to bend
  5. firm — decided
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — ground
  14. lean — thin
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. land — to come down
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — a company
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — a country

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