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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rush · leaves · clip · firm · bear · chest · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chest — of your body
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. firm — a company
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. clip — a video
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chest — a box

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