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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. kid — child
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lean — thin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fork — in a road
  24. kid — to tease

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