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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: roll · nail · drill · ruler · rule · craft

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. craft — a skill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a list
  11. craft — boats
  12. rule — a law
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rule — to rule out

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