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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wind — moving air
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cue — for pool
  13. club — a group
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rule — government
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. club — for golf
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cue — a hint
  23. key — in music
  24. cue — a signal

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