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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. fork — in a road
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. rash — hasty
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lie — to recline
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — in music
  19. rash — a series
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. ground — a position
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. key — the most important part

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