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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: ruler · nail · dip · squash · lie · scale · fall · pass

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fall — the season
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. scale — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. squash — to crush
  22. dip — to sink
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pass — a permit

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