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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
468
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: fall · mark · game · can · lie · temple · mate · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fall — to drop
  3. can — a tin
  4. lie — to recline
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fall — to drop
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. game — a match
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mate — a friend
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — a container
  22. fall — the season
  23. mark — a grade
  24. temple — a place of worship

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