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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: lie · nail · mark · wind · tube · charge · spring · bound

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — a coil
  5. lie — to recline
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wind — moving air
  18. spring — the season
  19. bound — certain
  20. charge — in control
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tube — a container
  24. spring — of water

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