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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: drill · toast · suit · mark · temple · current · lie · tube

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. drill — a practice
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — to fit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — electric
  13. toast — bread
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. tube — a container
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. tube — the underground
  20. drill — army training
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. drill — the tool
  24. tube — in a tire

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