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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · lie · can · bowl · hide · land · squash · current

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. land — ground
  4. fork — in a road
  5. current — of water
  6. lie — to recline
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — electric
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. current — happening now
  19. squash — to crush
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — a garden tool

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