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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: lie · wind · dip · rock · race · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. race — humankind
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rock — music
  11. race — a contest
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. 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