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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 120 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: deal · temple · bay · ball · fork · board · rest · lie

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. deal — to handle
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — to recline
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. fork — in a road
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rest — a break

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