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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · lie · ground · bowl · fork · object · face · mine

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. can — a tin
  5. ground — a position
  6. fork — in a road
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. face — to confront
  14. object — a thing
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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