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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lie · sharp · leaves · bass · date · coach · kick · bay

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. kick — in football
  11. date — the fruit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — with a leg

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