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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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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 · rule · ruler · deal · game · pass · cap · clip

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. game — a match
  6. key — for a lock
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. game — wild animals
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — government
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rule — a law
  21. key — in music
  22. clip — a video
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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