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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
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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: net · shower · stand · lie · bass · can · staff · season

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. staff — employees
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — a tin
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — after costs
  9. shower — rain
  10. season — of the year
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stand — to bear
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. net — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. can — to be able to
  18. season — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bass — low music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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