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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: pitcher · lie · fine · nail · straw · leaves · season · track

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — a song
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fine — high quality
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a path
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — to keep track
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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