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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bulb — for light
  6. capital — money
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. capital — a city
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. capital — a big letter

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