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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 124 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: can · pit · ruler · tube · bound · face · lie · game

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bound — certain
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — to point toward
  18. tube — a container
  19. can — a tin
  20. game — a match
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. tube — the underground

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