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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 124 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ball — a dance
  7. staff — employees
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — to recline

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