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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: firm · fall · season · mark · lie · bay · clip · fan

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. clip — for paper
  3. lie — to recline
  4. clip — to cut
  5. season — in sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. firm — steady
  13. fall — the season
  14. clip — a video
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. season — of the year
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. firm — decided
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fall — to drop

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