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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 120 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 · saw · last · fine · tube · pitcher · charge · mark

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. last — finally
  3. mark — a grade
  4. last — to go on
  5. lie — to recline
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fine — all right
  10. saw — the tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fine — high quality
  18. charge — a price
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. last — final
  24. lie — an untruth

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