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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.

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: cap · dip · key · lie · field · rock · press · court

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lie — to recline
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. court — of law
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cap — a lid
  9. press — newspapers
  10. field — a subject
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cap — of ice
  13. press — to push
  14. field — for sport
  15. rock — a stone
  16. court — of a king
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. court — for sport
  22. rock — music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — to move gently

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