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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 120 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 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cue — a signal
  3. key — in music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — the most important part
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — for pool
  15. key — for a lock
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to click
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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