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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.

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: season · stand · fan · leaves · degree · fine · fall · lie

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fall — the season
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stand — to bear
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — to recline
  14. season — of the year
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. degree — temperature
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — in sport
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — to cool the air

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