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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
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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: ruler · fall · present · dip · leaves · lie · court · saw

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — there
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lie — to recline
  9. present — a gift
  10. court — of a king
  11. fall — the season
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of law
  21. dip — to sink
  22. court — for sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. saw — the tool

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