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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: lie · deal · land · rule · ruler · date · stand · perch

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. perch — the fish
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rule — government
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. land — a country
  10. land — to come down
  11. date — the fruit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — a law
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. land — ground
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lie — to recline
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. date — on the calendar

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