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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 · ruler · bat · date · toast · season · row · pitcher

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. toast — bread
  6. season — of the year
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. season — in sport
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. date — the fruit
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ruler — for measuring

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