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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: rule · mark · content · wave · rest · lie · firm · shower

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rest — a break
  3. firm — a company
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — steady
  10. rule — a law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. shower — rain
  13. lie — to recline
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rule — government
  21. firm — decided
  22. content — happy
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — the amount

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