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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fork — in a road
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — a trace
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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