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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: ruler · chest · roll · net · pass · staff · fine · key

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. key — for a lock
  3. roll — a cake
  4. net — for catching
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. net — in sport
  8. staff — employees
  9. net — after costs
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. roll — a list
  17. pass — a permit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fine — all right
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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