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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 · ruler · deal · fine · fall · spring · bat · bowl

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spring — the season
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — the season
  7. fine — all right
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spring — a coil
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fall — to drop
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. spring — of water

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