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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: swing · lie · track · ruler · arm · key · charge · rule

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — government
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lie — to recline
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — music
  14. rule — a law
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. track — a path
  17. charge — a price
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. swing — to play on
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — in golf
  23. charge — in control
  24. key — in music

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