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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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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: court · rock · sharp · lie · deal · fork · rash · pop

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rock — a stone
  3. court — for sport
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pop — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. court — of a king
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rock — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pop — to visit
  19. court — of law
  20. pop — soda
  21. rash — a series
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. deal — an agreement

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