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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: mug · branch · lie · date · game · ruler · spell · roll

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. spell — magic
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mug — a face
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. spell — letters
  19. branch — a division
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. mug — a cup
  23. spell — a short time
  24. date — the fruit

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