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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: leaves · arm · last · firm · dip · lie · kick · stock

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. lie — to recline
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — a company
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. firm — decided
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — shares
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. firm — steady
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. last — final
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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