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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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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 · lie · temple · bound · ball · chip · stick · rest

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — a break
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. lie — to recline

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