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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.

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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: cabinet · ruler · bay · lie · spring · firm · bass · last

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. firm — steady
  3. last — final
  4. firm — a company
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bass — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — finally
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — decided
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. last — to go on
  18. spring — a coil
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — low music
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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