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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 120 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: pop · season · court · present · cabinet · net · lie · leaves

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. net — after costs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. court — of a king
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — a gift
  12. season — of the year
  13. pop — soda
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. season — in sport
  16. pop — music
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. lie — to recline
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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