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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · land · ball · lean · mug · ruler · present · lie

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mug — a face
  4. land — to come down
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lean — thin
  9. present — there
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rash — a series
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lie — to recline
  16. land — a country
  17. lean — to bend
  18. present — the time now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. land — ground
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — hasty

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