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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. season — in sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cue — a hint
  12. face — to point toward
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — of the year
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — lets stay

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