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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — in music
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. land — to come down
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — newspapers
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. land — ground
  16. key — the most important part
  17. land — a country
  18. press — to push
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. march — music

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