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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: file · season · lie · mark · sharp · chair · wave · jam

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. file — a tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. lie — to recline
  13. season — in sport
  14. file — a document
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. season — of the year
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chair — a leader
  20. mark — a trace
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. file — a line of people
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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