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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: cold · suit · key · pass · hand · nail · perch · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cold — an illness
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cold — not warm
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — a permit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. key — in music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — in cards

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