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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: can · march · season · chest · leaves · mug · stick · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mug — a face
  4. season — in sport
  5. march — the month
  6. chest — of your body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chest — a box
  14. march — the month
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — a cup
  19. season — of the year
  20. march — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — to be able to

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