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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: track · coach · nail · fall · straw · season · saw · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a song
  5. season — in sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — a path
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lie — to recline
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fall — to drop
  15. saw — the tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fall — the season
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — to keep track
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. straw — a straw man

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