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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: can · sharp · lash · mine · land · ruler · rush · key

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mine — for digging
  13. land — to come down
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — clever
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — ground
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — in music
  21. land — a country
  22. key — for a lock
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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