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

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — in music
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mate — to breed
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ball — a great time
  11. clip — a video
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. clip — for paper
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — the most important part
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mate — a friend

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