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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · straw · row · track · fan · ruler · coach · rule

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. key — in music
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. track — to keep track
  8. key — the most important part
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. row — a line
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. row — to paddle

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