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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: field · nail · can · pit · cap · tube · perch · lie

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cap — of ice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. can — a tin
  5. field — for sport
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — a hat
  9. field — farmland
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. field — a subject
  12. lie — to recline
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. perch — the fish
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pit — in a race
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — to be able to

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