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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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Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fork — in a road
  9. chair — a leader
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — in a race

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