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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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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: lie · leaves · rush · cabinet · kick · content · stock · season

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — goods
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stock — shares
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. season — in sport

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