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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: saw · lie · root · ruler · perch · kick · fall · board

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — to get on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fall — the season
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. fall — to drop
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. root — the cause

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