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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: hide · fan · ruler · hand · ground · rock · mine · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. ground — a position
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — the earth
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ground — crushed
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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