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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: ruler · mouse · lie · press · foot · roll · swing · saw

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. swing — to play on
  13. press — newspapers
  14. swing — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. roll — a list
  24. swing — in golf

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