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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: mark · last · lie · object · band · tube · lean · bay

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. last — to go on
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. object — a thing
  6. band — a music group
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tube — a container
  15. mark — a trace
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. object — an aim
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a ring
  20. lean — thin
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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