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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 120 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: lie · fork · temple · cue · tube · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tube — a container
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cue — a signal
  18. tube — the underground

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