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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: object · land · racket · cabinet · ruler · key · swing · jam

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. land — to come down
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. object — to protest
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — to play on
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. swing — music
  19. land — ground
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — in music
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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