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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: face · stick · temple · deal · court · lie · bark · fork

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fork — in a road
  3. court — of a king
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — to confront
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — to recline
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — part of the head
  18. court — of law
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. court — for sport
  24. face — to point toward

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