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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: ruler · stick · rest · scale · wind · lie · saw · suit

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — to fit
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. scale — in music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rest — a break
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wind — moving air
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wind — moving air

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