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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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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: deal · race · leaves · coach · spell · fork · dip · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — magic
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spell — letters
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fork — in a road
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. race — the arms race
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. deal — to handle
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. race — a contest
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. race — humankind

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