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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.

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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: fall · stock · perch · suit · bulb · lie · march · leaves

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. march — the month
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fall — the season
  7. march — music
  8. stock — goods
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bulb — for light
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — clothes
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fall — to drop
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stock — shares

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