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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · wind · pitcher · lie · hand · current · ground · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ground — crushed
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — the earth
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — happening now
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lie — an untruth

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