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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: mate · temple · ruler · lean · staff · stand · last · ground

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mate — a friend
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — finally
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. last — to go on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — employees
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. ground — a position
  13. mate — to breed
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. last — final
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. staff — employees
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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