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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.

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: press · stock · lie · snap · roll · fork · ball · land

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. lie — to recline
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a great time
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fork — in a road
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. snap — to click
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stock — goods
  14. roll — a list
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. land — ground
  22. stock — shares
  23. press — to push
  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