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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: chest · safe · march · key · fall · ground · fan · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. ground — a position
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chest — a box
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. chest — of your body
  10. key — in music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fall — the season
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. ruler — a monarch

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