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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.

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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: stick · fork · fine · root · temple · track · snap · lie

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. snap — to click
  16. root — of a word
  17. track — a song
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. root — the cause
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fine — all right

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