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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 · jam · fine · season · nail · file · tube · mark

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. file — a tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — a container
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. file — a line of people
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. file — a document
  13. season — of the year
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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