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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: lie · ruler · stick · spell · sharp · trunk · spring · toast

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. sharp — clever
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. toast — bread
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spring — the season
  12. spell — letters
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lie — to recline
  16. spring — of water
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. spell — magic
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. toast — the most admired

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