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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — magic
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — letters
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fork — in a road
  24. deal — to handle

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