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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 · nail · dip · rest · field · sharp · jam

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rule — government
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — farmland
  6. sharp — clever
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. field — for sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rule — a law

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