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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: key · lie · cap · fork · snap · temple · press · date

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to click
  3. cap — a hat
  4. date — the fruit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. key — in music
  8. press — to push
  9. fork — in a road
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lie — to recline
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — the most important part

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