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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · cabinet · squash · mine · rule · key · patient · nail

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. 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. ruler — a monarch
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — for a lock
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — in music
  15. rule — government
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mine — for digging
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — a law
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. 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