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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: saw · degree · rock · fork · lie · land · kid · rush

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kid — child
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. land — a country
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. saw — the tool
  16. degree — temperature
  17. land — to come down
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. land — ground
  23. degree — from a university
  24. rush — to hurry

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