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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 120 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
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: can · mug · wax · mate · chest · hide · arm · lie

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lie — to recline
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mug — a cup
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mug — a face
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. chest — a box
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chest — of your body

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