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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: rest · toast · ruler · rule · arm · lean

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. toast — bread
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rest — what's left
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rule — government
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lean — thin
  9. rest — a break
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lean — to bend

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