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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: lie · tube · fall · arm · mine · season · fine · perch

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fall — the season
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lie — to recline
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fall — to drop
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — all right
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. perch — the fish
  24. season — of the year

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