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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: key · nail · rock · rule · ruler · club

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rule — a law
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. key — in music
  12. club — a group
  13. rock — a stone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rule — government
  18. club — for dancing

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