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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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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: toast · ruler · key · pass · stick · patient · march · nail

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. key — in music
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — a permit
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ruler — for measuring

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