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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: staff · pitcher · ruler · nail · temple · key · court · race

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. court — of a king
  5. key — in music
  6. court — for sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. key — the most important part
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — for a lock
  15. race — a contest
  16. court — of law
  17. race — humankind
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. race — the arms race
  24. nail — for a hammer

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