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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — a gift
  3. current — of water
  4. present — the time now
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. vault — a safe
  8. land — ground
  9. current — electric
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. stem — to come from
  12. current — happening now
  13. land — to come down
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — a country
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. present — there
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lie — to recline

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