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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bound — obliged
  8. deal — to handle
  9. court — for sport
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kick — in football
  12. court — of law
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bound — certain
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bound — tied together
  23. court — of a king
  24. fork — to eat with

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