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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: root · cold · coach · snap · ruler · game · key · nail

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cold — an illness
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. game — wild animals
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. snap — to click
  21. game — a match
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cold — not warm
  24. root — of a word

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