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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
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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: file · season · lie · march · pass · cap · spring · present

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — the month
  3. file — a document
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. present — a gift
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. file — a line of people
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — a hat
  12. season — of the year
  13. spring — of water
  14. present — the time now
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. file — a tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — of ice
  20. present — there
  21. season — in sport
  22. pass — a permit
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. spring — the season

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