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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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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: content · arm · lean · bay · last · lash · rock · lie

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — music
  5. content — the amount
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — final
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. last — finally
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lean — thin
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — to bend
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. arm — a part of something

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