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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: ruler · foot · tube · lie · capital · chest · rest · mug

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — a city
  7. tube — a container
  8. rest — a break
  9. chest — of your body
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chest — a box
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rest — what's left
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — a cup

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