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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.

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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: prune · arm · mark · bay · spell · safe · lie · tear

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spell — a short time
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lie — to recline
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spell — magic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mark — a trace
  11. spell — letters
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. tear — to rip
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. arm — part of the 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