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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: pit · leaves · lie · bear · mark · bass · fan · deal

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. deal — to handle
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bear — the animal

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