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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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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: tube · lie · saw · fine · wind · fan · stick · content

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — the amount
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tube — a container
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. content — happy
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fine — all right

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