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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: bank · cap · fine · clip · pitcher · lie · tube · sharp

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. clip — for paper
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — a video
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bank — for money
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cap — of ice
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fine — all right
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bank — of a river

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