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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · pitcher · rule · chair · ruler · hide

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rule — government
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — a law
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitcher — a jug

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