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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.

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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: season · lie · stand · deal · bark · safe · fall · mouse

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. season — in sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lie — to recline
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — of the year
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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