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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: lie · charge · deal · cabinet · bat · bore · ball · fork

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. charge — a price
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lie — an untruth

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