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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: lie · stand · mouse · season · key · calf · capital · band

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. capital — a city
  17. lie — to recline
  18. key — in music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. capital — money
  22. season — in sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. capital — a big letter

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