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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: plane · chip · key · ruler · rule · band

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. key — in music
  8. band — a music group
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a ring
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. plane — an aircraft

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