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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
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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 · cell · current · staff · plane · fine · tube · content

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. cell — a phone
  2. tube — a container
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — of water
  5. staff — a stick
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. current — electric
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. tube — the underground
  14. staff — employees
  15. content — the amount
  16. current — happening now
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. content — happy
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cell — in biology
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  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