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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 116 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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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: lie · ball · fork · kick · mug · wound · bulb · pitch

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. kick — in football
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mug — a face
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mug — a cup
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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