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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: track · bore · pitcher · key · capital · rule · land · ruler

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. track — a song
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. land — ground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. land — a country
  12. rule — government
  13. key — for a lock
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. land — to come down
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. key — in music
  19. track — a path
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — a law
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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