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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 120 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: firm · lie · cabinet · ruler · content · foot · rule · present

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — the time now
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — there
  6. lie — to recline
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. firm — decided
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — a law
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — steady
  20. content — happy
  21. present — a gift
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ruler — for measuring

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