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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
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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 · season · arm · ruler · court · content · game · cap

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — in sport
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cap — of ice
  6. court — for sport
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. cap — a lid
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — wild animals
  15. content — happy
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. court — of law
  19. content — the amount
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. court — of a king
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. game — a match

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