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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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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 · dip · toast · deal · pop · tear · lie · temple

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pop — soda
  3. fork — in a road
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tear — to rip
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — to recline
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — to sink

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