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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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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: last · race · mug · ruler · fall · lie · roll · plane

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fall — to drop
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. last — finally
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. race — humankind
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mug — to rob
  10. last — to go on
  11. roll — a list
  12. fall — the season
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — final
  18. race — a contest
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lie — to recline
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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