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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: mark · squash · row · key · jam · saw · rule · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — to crush
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mark — a grade
  11. key — the most important part
  12. squash — the sport
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. row — a line
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — in music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. roll — a cake
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rule — government
  23. mark — a trace
  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