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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: pass · arm · lie · straw · last · toast · temple · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — bread
  6. last — finally
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. last — final
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. last — to go on
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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