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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · kid · prune · mouse · fine · saw · lie · content

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. prune — to trim
  9. kid — child
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. content — the amount
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. lie — to recline
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. prune — to trim
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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