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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: land · ruler · key · firm · scale · game · stick · toast

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — in music
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — ground
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. land — a country
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. firm — steady
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — wild animals
  13. key — in music
  14. firm — a company
  15. toast — bread
  16. land — to come down
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — for a lock
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. key — the most important part

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