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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 · season · land · key · rule · pass · staff · rash

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rule — a law
  3. land — a country
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. season — in sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. land — ground
  9. key — in music
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rule — government
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. season — of the year
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. land — to come down
  24. rash — a series

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