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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: fan · hide · mark · lie · plane · rock · tube · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. lie — to recline
  18. tube — the underground
  19. plane — a tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — music

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