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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · mate · lie · staff · ruler · content · field · bank

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — happy
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. field — farmland
  9. bank — of a river
  10. staff — employees
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. content — the amount
  16. bank — for money
  17. staff — employees
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mate — a friend
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ruler — a monarch

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