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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: land · toast · key · rest · sharp · lie · track · fork

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — in a road
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rest — a break
  12. land — ground
  13. track — a song
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. key — for a lock
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. track — a path
  21. key — in music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — to eat with

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