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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: lie · rule · ruler · field · hand · saw · suit · board

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. field — a subject
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hand — help
  9. field — farmland
  10. rule — a law
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rule — government
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. board — a committee
  20. field — for sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — to get on
  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