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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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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 · fork · row · tube · cap · wave · bay · ruler

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. row — to paddle
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — of ice
  12. row — a line
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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