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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fork — in a road
  7. key — in music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stem — to come from
  10. field — farmland
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — boats
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. field — a subject
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. craft — a skill
  24. field — for sport

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