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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: pitch · mouse · bore · lie · fan · rule · tube · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — government
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tube — a container
  10. fall — to drop
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. tube — the underground
  15. fall — the season
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rule — a law
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mouse — the animal
  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