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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cap — a lid
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rest — a break
  12. cap — a hat
  13. drill — army training
  14. current — electric
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. current — of water
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — happening now
  24. drill — a practice

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