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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.

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: lie · stick · fork · game · ball · press · sharp · arm

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. press — a publisher
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. press — newspapers
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ball — a great time
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. game — a match
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. press — to push
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fork — in a road

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