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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: rock · lie · toast · firm · dip · march · court · present

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. march — the month
  10. firm — steady
  11. present — a gift
  12. march — the month
  13. toast — bread
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. dip — to sink
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. march — music
  21. court — of law
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — a company

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