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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: mouse · leaves · deal · bass · clip · temple · lie · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lie — to recline
  8. clip — a video
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. clip — to cut

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