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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: roll · ruler · lie · bowl · bark · present · mouse · land

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — there
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. land — to come down
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. present — a gift
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — the time now
  20. land — ground
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bark — to shout
  23. land — a country
  24. mouse — the animal

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