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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: court · mark · fork · mouse · wound · present · track · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — in a road
  3. court — of a king
  4. present — a gift
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. wound — an injury
  9. present — there
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — the time now
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mark — a trace

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