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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: file · lie · bowl · mine · mark · dip · can · bound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. file — a tool
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. file — a document
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bound — tied together
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bound — certain

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