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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: file · capital · key · hide · ruler · firm

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. key — in music
  3. firm — decided
  4. capital — money
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — for a lock
  13. file — a line of people
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. firm — a company
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a city
  18. file — a document

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