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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: lie · fine · jam · tube · file · stick · temple · squash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fine — all right
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a tool
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — high quality
  17. tube — a container
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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