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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · trunk · lean · ball · shower · cap · arm · ruler

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — rain
  5. cap — a lid
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lean — to bend
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. shower — to wash
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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