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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 116 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 · stand · snap · cell · safe · ball · lie · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. season — of the year
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ball — a dance
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lean — thin
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — in sport
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to click

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