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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: spring · fork · track · date · lie · object · press · mug

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lie — to recline
  8. date — the fruit
  9. track — a path
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spring — a coil
  16. press — a publisher
  17. object — a thing
  18. press — newspapers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. spring — of water
  22. mug — a face
  23. press — to push
  24. fork — in a road

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