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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: plane · cue · hide · mate · rock · lie · lean · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mate — a friend
  4. rock — music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mate — a partner
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — thin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lie — an untruth

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