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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.

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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: pitcher · wake · object · lie · tube · squash · temple · fine

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — high quality
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. object — an aim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fine — all right
  17. tube — a container
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tube — the underground
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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