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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · cabinet · pitch · dip · lie · ruler · content · fan

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. 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 — for measuring
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. content — the amount
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — happy
  24. 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