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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
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: firm · lie · rock · spell · hide · mine · perch · arm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — magic
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. spell — letters
  6. perch — the fish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. firm — decided
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — a company
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mine — for digging
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rock — music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. firm — steady
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. arm — part of the body
  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