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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 120 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: rest · scale · lie · root · wind · ruler · lean · pass

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — of a word
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — thin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — a permit
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rest — a break
  16. scale — in music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — the cause
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wind — to turn a key

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