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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
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: pitcher · lie · rock · tube · stand · suit · snap · content

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rock — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. suit — clothes
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. tube — a container
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. suit — in cards
  15. content — happy
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. snap — to click
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitcher — a jug

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