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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: object · bear · ruler · safe · dip · snap · land · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — ground
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. land — a country
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. dip — to sink
  15. object — to protest
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — to come down
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — to recline
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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