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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: lie · nail · content · stick · rule · coach · cap · tube

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. content — the amount
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. content — happy
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — government
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lie — to recline
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cap — a hat
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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