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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: last · rule · lie · rest · ruler · board · face · lean

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. face — to confront
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — a law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — to point toward
  10. board — a committee
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. last — to go on
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rule — government
  21. board — to get on
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rest — a break
  24. lean — to rest against

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