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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: cue · nail · cap · ruler · rule · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rule — government
  3. firm — steady
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. firm — a company
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. nail — for a hammer

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