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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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Word bank
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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: bass · stick · ruler · rock · lie · mate

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — music
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rock — to move gently

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