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

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. game — a match
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ball — a dance

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