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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 · fork · rush · club · fall · mine · mark · net

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fall — to drop
  4. club — a group
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. net — for catching
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. club — for dancing
  14. net — after costs
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fall — the season
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. club — for golf
  22. net — in sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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