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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: suit · lie · fall · lash · court · content · field · nail

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fall — to drop
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. field — for sport
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — happy
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — of a king
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. field — farmland
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. field — a subject
  21. fall — the season
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — to recline

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