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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: lie · leaves · row · bat · club · present · land · jam

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. row — to paddle
  4. land — a country
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — there
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. land — ground
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — the time now
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. land — to come down
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. row — a line
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — a gift
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. club — for golf

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