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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 120 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 · mug · fan · mine · stand · saw · pit · bass

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the fish

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