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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tube — a container
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. saw — the tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — employees
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. saw — the tool
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. can — a tin
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — a position
  20. staff — employees
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. can — to be able to
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fork — a garden tool

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