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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: drill · lie · lean · suit · cold · ruler · stand · perch

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cold — not warm
  5. perch — the fish
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cold — an illness
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. drill — army training

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