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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: stick · game · staff · ruler · pass · kick

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kick — in football
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. game — a match

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