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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: lie · season · pit · cue · fan · content · pop · bank

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — music
  3. season — in sport
  4. content — happy
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — soda
  7. season — of the year
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pit — a hole
  20. content — the amount
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bank — for money

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