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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 120 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: ruler · lie · key · cue · mate · patient · nail · fall

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. fall — the season
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. key — in music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cue — a signal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — for a lock
  23. patient — a sick person
  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