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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.

Make a worksheet

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: march · can · leaves · lie · rest · content · game · bear

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. lie — to recline
  10. content — the amount
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — what's left
  17. game — a match
  18. can — to be able to
  19. content — happy
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. march — the month
  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