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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fork — in a road
  4. court — of law
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. roll — a list
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of a king
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. roll — a cake

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