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

Word bank: race · ruler · present · lie · root · lean

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lean — thin
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — of a word
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. present — there
  9. root — the cause
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. race — a contest
  16. lie — to recline
  17. root — of a plant
  18. present — the time now

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