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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: season · lie · content · march · suit · prune · board · firm

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. march — the month
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — to recline
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — to get on
  9. march — the month
  10. firm — steady
  11. march — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. firm — a company
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — the amount
  19. suit — clothes
  20. board — a committee
  21. content — happy
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. lie — an untruth

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