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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: bank · season · plane · lie · stand · court · leaves · craft

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a skill
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bank — of a river
  8. court — of a king
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. season — in sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lie — to recline
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. court — for sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. court — of law
  23. season — of the year
  24. stand — on your feet

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