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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: ground · suit · wake · ruler · nail · fan · rest · cell

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cell — a phone
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. suit — in cards

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