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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
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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: game · fork · lie · coach · can · object · ball · bound

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fork — in a road
  6. object — to protest
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bound — certain
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — an aim
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ball — a dance
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — a thing
  21. bound — obliged
  22. game — a match
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a kind of play

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