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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: straw · fine · rule · temple · ruler · staff

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — a law
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. staff — employees
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. staff — a stick
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fine — high quality
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fine — all right

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