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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. track — a path
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mug — a cup
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lie — to recline
  9. track — a song
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. press — to push
  12. mug — a face
  13. fine — all right
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — to come from
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. press — newspapers
  24. dip — to sink

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