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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: chest · root · stand · wave · temple · ruler · lie · jam

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chest — a box
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chest — of your body
  15. root — the cause
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chest — of your body
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lie — an untruth

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