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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: rest · squash · lie · bark · lean · ground · mark · ruler

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lean — thin
  18. rest — a break
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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