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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: safe · fine · key · drill · rush · deal · stem · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — all right
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. drill — army training
  6. key — in music
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stem — to come from
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fine — high quality
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. drill — a practice

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