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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 116 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: coach · rush · cap · band · fine · tube · kid · lie

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — a hat
  4. tube — a container
  5. fine — all right
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — of ice
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fine — high quality
  13. band — a music group
  14. kid — to tease
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kid — child
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. band — a ring
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rush — to hurry

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