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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.

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: ruler · pass · can · spring · rule · plane · lie · wake

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. rule — government
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — a tin
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spring — a coil
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — a trail
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spring — the season
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rule — to rule out

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