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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 · chair · key · ruler · leaves · game · temple · kick

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. key — in music
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. game — a match
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — the most important part
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. chair — a leader
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lie — to recline
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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