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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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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: drill · ruler · cue · season · lie · perch · rule · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. perch — the fish
  5. season — of the year
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — government
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rest — what's left
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — for pool
  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