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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: key · bat · swing · ball · rule · bowl · ruler · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rule — a law
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — in music
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. swing — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a dance
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — government

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