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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 120 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 · cabinet · land · ruler · shower · nail · key · firm

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — steady
  3. key — the most important part
  4. swing — music
  5. shower — rain
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. firm — decided
  9. shower — to wash
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — a country
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. key — in music
  19. firm — a company
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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