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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: rule · ruler · ball · cell · press · lie

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cell — in biology
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rule — government
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rule — a law
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cell — in a prison

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