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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 · pitch · fine · pop · tube · current · pass · land

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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. current — happening now
  2. tube — a container
  3. land — ground
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pop — music
  10. land — to come down
  11. pop — soda
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. land — a country
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lie — to recline
  17. current — electric
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. current — of water
  23. lie — an untruth
  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