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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.

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: tube · lie · saw · fine · wind · fan

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — moving air
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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