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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: lie · content · ruler · pop · arm · cap · track · fall

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fall — the season
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — of ice
  9. track — to keep track
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. track — a song
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. track — a path
  22. pop — soda
  23. cap — a hat
  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