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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: key · arm · tube · sharp · temple · patient · rule · ruler

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. key — the most important part
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. key — in music
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — a container
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rule — government
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. temple — side of the head

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