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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: pound · pitcher · toast · leaves · staff · field · bowl · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. staff — employees
  8. field — a subject
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — a weight
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. field — for sport
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. field — farmland
  24. leaves — of a tree

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