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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: bay · arm · coach · lie · deal · clip · leaves · cap

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. clip — for paper
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. clip — a video
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — to recline
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — to handle
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — of ice
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. clip — to cut
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. lie — an untruth

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