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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
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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: net · object · lie · land · fork · present · deal · saw

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. net — for catching
  5. present — there
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. net — after costs
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — a gift
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. land — a country
  15. fork — in a road
  16. saw — the tool
  17. land — to come down
  18. net — in sport
  19. object — an aim
  20. present — the time now
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. object — to protest
  24. deal — to handle

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