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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: row · hand · trunk · arm · lie · saw · lean · mouse

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  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. hand — help
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. row — to paddle
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. row — a line
  11. lie — to recline
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lean — thin
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. hand — in cards
  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