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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
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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: lie · track · club · leaves · firm · chip · cap · net

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — for golf
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — for catching
  16. cap — of ice
  17. track — a song
  18. club — a group
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chip — to eat
  21. firm — decided
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — a lid
  24. track — a path

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