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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: arm · wound · lash · key · firm · bay · last · wake

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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 — to keep at bay
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. last — finally
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — the most important part
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. last — to go on
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — steady
  21. last — final
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. firm — a company
  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