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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: pitcher · track · bay · lie · fork · fan · kid · ball

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. kid — child
  21. track — a path
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. track — a song

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